Alanna's Return
by Shadow Spirit
Summary: rating is just to be safe, not a partcularly oridional title, but it pritty much says it all. About alanna coming back to the palace after the whole Kel feasco in PoTS


RETURN  
  
Alanna sat in her rooms at the Tortalian palace, alternately cleaning lightning (which she had finally   
retrieved from the catacombs after the coronation battle) and sulking! Though Alanna was still not on   
speaking terms with King Jonathan even *she* couldn't very well ignore a royal summons (well not   
more than the first three) but she was none to happy at having her hand forced. He would be sorry, she  
promised herself that!   
  
However George had convinced her it was a good thing as now she didn't have to swallow her pride   
and return of her own free will after declaring that she wouldn't, and she got to see her old friends again,  
in truth she had missed them sourly during her self imposed 3 year exile. George had said he was   
cutting off her own nose just to spite her face just for the sake of her pride and more importantly that   
she was letting Jon win by not seeing the people she wanted and going where she wanted.   
This thought had so enraged Alanna that she returned to the palace immediately, but she was currently   
regretting her rash decision.   
  
A brisk knock sounded at her door and she looked warily at it for a long moment before enquiring:   
  
"Who is it?"   
  
"Are you ever going to let me in Alanna or do I have to talk to you from out here?" demanded a   
familiar mock-annoyed voice from behind the closed door.   
  
"Gary!" Alanna cried rushing to open the door and let her old friend in. They hugged fiercely before   
sitting down; Alanna on her bed and Gary on her desk chair.   
  
Grinning at her first palace friend and one time sponsor Alanna chuckled as he belatedly added   
  
"The one and only!" His dancing brown eyes were as wicked as ever and his face was filled with   
mischief when he said,   
  
"I thought you didn't want visitors! It took even me a while to find you here." Indeed it was true Alanna   
had taken the ordinary quarters given to some one of her rank who was summoned to the palace and   
even though she was sure Garry knew the reason for her unusual lodgings she explained matter of factly  
as though delivering a well rehearsed speech:   
  
"I will not impose on the kings hospitality any more than I have too, I will not have rooms to befit me   
as champion and as his majesties friend because the way I feel right now I defiantly want neither post!"   
Garry knew it was only her temper speaking and that Alanna kept her oaths and would there for not   
renounce her rank as champion but neither would she let Jonathan forget it. He laughed, and she joined   
in it wasn't clear what was so funny but it was just good to be back in each others company and soon   
tears of mirth rolled down their laughter flushed cheeks and the last of the ice between them was broken.   
  
"Goddess its good to be back" she thought but as she examined Gary's expression more closely and   
saw to her shock a definite look of apprehension cross his handsome features before it was pushed   
away and replaced with a smile. Alanna just sat there, stunned!  
  
"Have I relay been gone that long?" Alanna thought fighting back tears "that the oldest and dearest of   
friends is no longer comfortable in my company?" Alanna was stricken, one thought registered through   
the haze of sadness and regret:   
  
"By the dark god Jon will pay for this…" her mind trailed off and stopped imagining suitable  
punishments for the king for doing this to her as pleasurable as the thought of torturing Jon was to her   
right then she knew right now she had to concentrate on getting Gary to relax with her again.   
  
The two talked a while discussing a range of 'safe' topics, all the while Alanna silently cursed Jon and   
tried to get Gary to open up.   
  
"It was defiantly good to be back" Alanna had to admit, even though things were not as they had been   
time would fix that…yes it was defiantly good to be back she'd missed this more than even she know   
and with every moment of the palace life she had returned to her home sickness lifted a little more.   
  
There was still something though, it was something bothering Gary. She had watched him closely as   
they spoke and now was certain there was something on his mind.   
  
Finally Alanna's small store of patience was used up. She looked up meeting Grays wavering gaze with   
her own direct one, Seeing the fire burning in their violate depths Grays explanation of the link between   
house prices and the amount of milk one Tortalian cow produces a year as a posed to the amount two   
Sirian cows produced in four months came to a dead stop. He gulped.   
  
"You know" he tried to joke; "If you weren't interested you could have just said" but seeing the look on  
her face he knew it was hopeless.   
  
"I knew it!" cried Alanna triumphantly in one last-ditch attempt Gary faked innocence asking blandly   
  
"Knew what Alanna?" but he knew it was to late she was on to him. Alanna simply raised one perfectly   
sculpted copper eyebrow at him and Gary grumbled, half to himself,   
  
"You know me too well" his companion smirked.   
  
"Oh come on Gary, you're Prime Minister by all the gods and this is the middle of the day! You are   
probably one of the busiest men in the palace. This is not a social visit! Don't get me wrong it's   
wonderful to see you but you have been nervous since you knocked on that door and haven't once met   
my eyes voluntarily. You came hear for a reason and I am willing to bet it is the same one behind the   
first the summons I received too."  
  
Now it was Gary's turn to raise his eyebrows at Alanna   
  
"Uh oh!" she muttered under her breath before looking up at him her amethyst eyes as wide and   
innocent as they would go a simpering, meaningless smile on her face reminiscent of the many witless   
court ladies Alanna remembered from her time as a squire.   
  
"I… uh… I mean…that I…*didn't* get…yeah that's it; the three summonses that I …uh…didn't get!   
You know you should really do something about that. You are the Prime Minister after all, what is the   
postal system coming too? I ask you they could have been important, then what would I have done?"   
  
She looked up at him hopefully eyes pleading with him to believe her though she knew it was not a  
convincing performance. Gary snorted in derision   
  
"You would have answered it that's what!" he exclaimed, "I mean for goodness sake Alanna you're the   
kings champion! A *royal* summons! An *official* summons! An *official*, *royal* summons!   
Mithros spear Alanna pride or no pride you should have come! I mean I know you hate having your   
decisions forced but goddess…" He trailed of finally looking expectantly at the petit woman still sitting   
calmly on her bed. Though her stance was currently nothing threatening the steely glint in her fathomless  
violate eyes and the determined expression on her small face told him that had been a mistake, Alanna's   
temper was almost as famous as her deeds. She stared coldly at him for a moment, a look that   
promised inventive and painful revenge at a more convenient time. Gary shivered involuntarily and she   
said in cool clipped tones:   
  
"I may be *his majesties*" she spat out the 'his majesties' as though the words were poisonous on her   
tongue then continued, "champion but that does not make me his lap dog! And if that is what is   
required of a kings champion in this day and age then I renounce the post!" she looked eyes with her   
adversary daring him to argue or contradict her words.   
Gary knew better he just sat there not making and move to agree or disagree, this seemed to plicate the   
enraged woman and after one final hard look she settled back down onto her bed looking appeased   
though a fire still burned behind those famous purple irises.   
  
"So…" Gary said after a few minuets of silence. Alanna's face was expressionless she stood up, violet   
eyes showing no emotion were trained solely on him, then in her best parade-ground voice she baked   
  
"Tell me!" That was an order from a commander the sort of thing Gary had spent his whole life learning  
to obey. Subconsciously his body stiffened to attention in his seat, he opened his mouth and began to   
speak  
  
"I…" was all he go out before realising Alanna's trick and cursing his own stupidity he clapped one   
hand over his mouth and glared at the short red head in front of him. A sly smile spread across Alanna's  
to-thin lips as she drew herself up to her full height (it was lucky that the overly large Gary was sitting   
down otherwise this action would have lost most of its effect) then said,   
  
"Well Gary you are so fond of *orders* and *protocol*" (again she spat the last words out as if they   
tasted nasty on her tongue) Gary paled; though he had been heralded as the smart mouthed one   
amongst their group while they were training; Alanna, when the mood took her, could give even the   
most quick witted and tart tongued of people a severe cut with the sharp side of her own tongue.   
He watched as the woman began to pace hands behind her back, head up and violate eyes direct then  
she began   
  
  
"As your champion *Sir* Gareth, the younger, of Naxen I *order* you to *tell me*!" The practised   
serene look on her pail face contrasted starkly with her snapping eyes as Gary struggled to find a way   
outof his situation, finally he decided to buy himself some breathing space though he knew full-well that   
his comment would further enrage the already irate champion.   
  
"Alanna?" he asked with his best imitation of the innocence that had never been a part of Gary's   
character "tell you what?"   
  
"Don't you 'Alanna' me!" his nemesis practically screamed, Garry had been right his comment had   
infuriated her but at least now he could try and think of an escape plan. Then with studied patience   
Alanna took a deep breath and said coolly   
  
"Tell me *all* the reasons you are here" then seeing Gary's face light up at the open ended remark she   
added "here as in - why you came to visit me. Here. Now. Today!" the other knight was thinking   
furiously   
  
"Well that's one escape plan gone - she knows me to well! But… Wait that's it! I've got her know for   
sure!" A victorious smile anointing his chiselled hansom features he began the speech he felt sure would  
end this battle of wits and wills to a close securing him a rare victory against Alanna at her most   
contrary. He delivered his speech with care,   
  
"You may be my champion but I am your prime minister and thus your power to order me is defunct!"   
One coppery perfectly sculpted eyebrow was raised and judging by the satisfied smirk on her small   
face Garry guessed he had just played right into her hands. She *really* knows me to well! That was it   
now she was about to make the final killing move - check and mate to her, all the weary knight turned   
prime minister could do was sit back and wait as he felt his premature victorious joy dissolve.   
  
Putting on her sweetest and most noble-like voice the lady knight began "Well Gary, as my prime   
minister it is you duty to keep other palace officials informed and up to date on important palace   
business" Seeing has chance Gary opened his mouth to interrupt only to be silenced by a look,   
"*and* she continued we have already established that a *busy* *prime minister* like yourself would   
not be here at this time if it were not for reasons of the up-most impotents nor would *his Highness*"   
(for a third she managed to spit the words out with the contempt usually reserved for ex-school masters)  
"have summoned me into *his* castle *three times* if he also did not believe it necessary" rolling is   
eyes at Alanna and Jon's feud Garry just listened letting her continue her victory speech, "also before   
you were made prime minister only after you were knighted and if my memory serves, the second rule   
of chivalry is…?"   
  
Gary heaved a dramatic sigh though his dark eyes had begun to twinkle mischievously  
"respect your Champion and honour your duty to him…" it was recited in a dull, lifeless board   
sounding voice "…o or her" was added quickly with a little more expression coming through,   
Then the large knight added "its right after the one about *duty to* and *obeying* *monarchs*" looking  
pointedly at Alanna and winking. She scowled then added   
  
"But you concede my point!" it was a statement not a question and now it was Gary's turn to scowl,   
then groan, then shuffle his feet, then finally mumble almost incoherently   
  
"Yes" but it was enough for Alanna and she beamed at her victory.  
  
"She has you there like worm on a hook" intoned a jovial voice from the doorway as both heads turned  
and two sets of eyes took in the large form of Lord Sir Raoul of Melories peek and golden lake, one   
set with relefe and the other with joy in there purple depths.  
  
"Raoul!" was the only word Alanna cried before flinging herself at him and embracing him as warmly   
as she had Garry. When they had calmed down again Alanna teased  
  
"Well I am important to have *two* of the busiest men in the palace here to *tell me my news*" Both   
men groaned, apparently the vivacious red head had not forgotten her questioning in her joy at seeing   
Raoul.  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that we came to visit a friend we hadn't seen in years" it was a vein attempt   
and Alanna was not fooled, she simply arched an eyebrow. At that point both men admitted defeat!  
  
Both men looked down and away, studying the walls, the carpets, the furniture, anything to avoid   
meeting Alanna's gaze and then the bigger of the two mumbled something indistinct. In a surgery   
to-sweet voice that did *not* bode well for her companions Alanna asked or rather demanded   
  
"Pardon Raoul?" then "Well!" she continued jovially "I hope it isn't help with your Mathematics   
because I never *was* any good at it!" She grinned to put them both at ease again as the violate eyed   
warier could be very intimidating when she wanted to be and all three chuckled a little at the memory of   
their training this comment brought.  
  
"No" Garry answered "its not maths thank the gods because then we *would* be in trouble!" they all   
laughed again as Alanna breathed a mock sigh of deep relief and had down hard on her bed fanning   
herself with her hand. Again Alanna tried to catch the eye of one of the men in front of her but Raoul   
was looking out the window and Garry looked suddenly very interested in the carpet. Finally, patience   
at an end:  
  
"Well?" she demanded looking expectantly at them  
  
"We wanted to ask you a favour," Garry said in a rush and again all the woman did was raise an   
eyebrow then she said  
  
"Go on?"   
  
Both men shuffled their feet mumbled and looked anywhere but at Alanna. Taking pity on them the   
petit woman grinned cutting through the almost tangible tension in the room   
  
"I am sure you two warriors need to with draw and re group and all three of us are (as we have already   
established) very busy people  
  
The men looked relived and immediately made for the door  
  
"But!" she continued and they immediately turned to face her "nothing has changed," she didn't miss a   
beat "so I'm not speaking to Jon? That's nothing new only now I am unfortunately his champion and he  
my king as apposed to him being my night master and I his squire. I'm still the same person I always   
was and you were never nerves about asking me anything before, its not your fault that out *honnered   
ruler* and again she interjected a world of scorn into those two words "is a…no! *I* at least am above   
profanity and petty revenge" Raouls moustache twitched "Though sometimes I wish I wasn't *quite* so  
mature" and she sighed as Garry spluttered with badly controlled laughter, she threw him a look and   
continued "I am a very busy lady, to tired in fact for idle chit chat and gossiping"   
  
With that she staled over and sheathed lightning and buckling it to her side before flouncing out of her   
door nose in the air and with the same air of perpous and determination about her as they had become   
used to when she was training. Garry and Raoul stood shell shocked and gaped at the open door that   
she had just left through. A slow grin spread across Raouls face as he said   
  
"She's still got it!"   
  
mirroring Raoul grin Garry said   
  
"she's right you know - as always - she *is* still the same person, I don't know why we were even   
worried!"  
  
Smiling gleefully at each other and closing the door behind them the two friends left Alanna's chambers   
at a much more sedate pace than she had and just before they parted Raoul said confidently  
  
"We can do this!"   
  
and his companion nodded before the two went their separate ways still smiling.  
  
For along time after that Alanna wondered what could be so important yet so difficult to tell her. She   
was so caught up in her thoughts that Scrachell of Whillem almost bested her with a simple disarm in   
their fencing bout, his jibes about her becoming slow in her absence struck home and soon brought her  
out of her reverie, then with in moments she had him held at sward point against the practice court wall;  
his sward in the opposite corner of the room.   
After that she did her best to put any unnecessary thoughts to the back of her mind and concentrate on   
the task at hand.  
  
Finally that evening came and Alanna changed into some clean clothes and headed to the mess.   
Seeing Gary and Raoul and a couple of others at table waving she made her way over to join them.  
  
Setting her tray down she excepted the friendly greetings and welcome backs from familiar palace faces  
and beamed at all the servants who came to give the there meal. Each curtsied or bowed to her in   
respect to their gender and most told her in some form or other how glad they were to see her back in   
the palace again.  
  
Her friends seemed to have sensed her unwillingness to see the king or except any normal privileges   
and duties as Champion and had stationed themselves along with the other knights in the room on the  
middle table - no higher or lower than any of the others. Equal!  
  
The king entered and every one stood, then sat and began to eat. Alanna chattered and gossiped and   
caught up on everything she'd missed in her absence and filled others in on how she had kept herself   
busy. Once or twice during the meal Thayet court her eye and motioned to herself, then Daine; who sat   
with Numair a few seats away, then mouthed 'your room' and pointed to her watch subtlety holding up   
ten fingers, grinning Alanna nodded but frowned for effect and pointed at her own watch before holding up eight fingers, the queen gave her a surprised look and a questioning eyebrow which Alanna answered with a small nod to Raoul and Garry who sat on her right and tapped her watch again showing ten fingers, shrugging subtlety in acquiescence and nodding her understanding the queen checked these changes with Daine who readily agreed and sent a small palace kitten across to each of her companions with a smile.   
Raoul looked quite surprised as a small grey and white cat jumped onto Alanna's shoulder and Alanna   
herself laughed outright at the memory of Faithful Daine had sent her through the cat, they caught each   
others eyes across the room and smiled in a mutual understanding of the joke.  
  
Alanna carefully lifted the cat down still chuckling, saying   
  
"I guess cats just like me hu?"  
  
"Hu!" answered Garry in a non-committal way.  
  
When Alanna had finished eating she stood to take her tray back and turned to Gary and Raoul saying  
  
"I will see you at ten then, in Garry's council rooms" and turned to go,   
  
"I was thinking,"   
  
"Really wow, first time for everything" said Alanna. Ignoring them he continued   
  
"What about earlier like eight?" checking his watch Garry's said   
  
"That's in fifteen minuets"   
  
"I am meeting Theyet and Daine to catch up at eight I will see you at ten."   
  
"Busy schedule" joked Raoul but when did you have time to make plans with the queen she has been in   
council all day?"  
  
"Just now", answered Alanna "she said ten, I said eight, she said why, I said because I was meeting you  
guys at ten, she said ok and checked with Daine who said ok too but she would be a couple of minuets   
late, then sent the cats over as a joke."   
  
"Um Alanna?"   
  
"Yes Garry?"  
  
"Have you been imagining conversations again? You know if you wanted to keep it at ten you could just  
say!"  
  
Alanna just laughed   
"ok, you want proof? I'll tell Daine something then she will write it on her napkin and get a cat to bring   
it over that way you will see the others simply looked sceptical.  
  
True to her word Alanna court Dane's eyes and motioned to the two men (who could hardly see her   
moving) and rolled her eyed, giggling Daine made the same motions towards Numair. Alanna then made  
a "writing" movement with her hand and held her napkin to her lips, catching on Daine asked Numair   
for a quill, and as the man was a walking apothecary he handed her one still with some ink in, she smiled  
her thanks and turned back to Alanna.  
The red head nodded to Theyet and Daine wrote down her name then pointed to her self then finally   
indicated Daine and once the girl had written all three names down Alanna tapped her watch then held   
up eight fingers again and the younger woman added that to her message but frowned motioning her   
self and held up five minuets then mouthed 'late' to make sure Alanna knew, nodding Alanna repeated   
the 'writing' motion and again the others head bent to add that two her message. Making a 'stop' motion  
with her hand Alanna informed the other that that was the end and Daine signed the note and asked a   
cat to bring it over.  
  
Raoul and Garry thought Alanna was joking as they couldn't see Daine move much, though she was   
writing something on her napkin, and they wouldn't have seen Alanna move if they weren't sitting so   
close.   
  
"I have told her to write down what I just told you about our plans tonight, it isn't word perfect but we   
get our message across"  
  
"Ha ha very funny, but your not fooling any one so give up! We wont hold it against you we don't   
mind if you don't want to meet till ten"  
  
Alanna simply arched an eyebrow and left, just then the same grey and white kitten jumped onto   
Alanna's vacated chair and meowed, and to their shock the men saw it held a paper napkin in its mouth. Gingerly Garry took it and it read  
  
  
Hi Alanna -   
No, Numair doesn't believe I was talking to you either! Men!  
Ok, so you Theyet and I will meet in your rooms at 8  
But I will be a few minuets late, sorry!   
Some thing I gotta do first I'll explain when I get There.   
Hope this helps to prove your point luv  
Daine XXX  
  
Naturally the two men were amazed and they looked up to see Daine looking back at them trying to   
contain her giggles at the sight of their faces. She gave them a mischievous smile glanced at the clock   
then back at Theyet and saying good by to Numair picked up her tray then she too left, followed swiftly  
by the queen.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
  
so what did you guys think? Questions? Comments? you can tell me when you REVIEW!!!!!!  
  
Goddess Bless luv Aurora xxx 


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